By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: A high-level meeting was held today at Agriculture House Lahore under the chairmanship of the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Punjab, Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani. The meeting reviewed ongoing and new development projects under the Chief Minister Punjab “Transforming Punjab Agriculture” program. Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Usama Khan Leghari and Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo also participated.
Addressing the meeting, the Minister for Agriculture Punjab stated that the initiatives of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif for the agriculture sector have significantly improved the economic conditions of farmers, making them more self-reliant. He said the fiscal year 2025–26 will be a year of growth and prosperity for farmers.
He shared that in the first phase of the Kissan Card program, 500,000 cards were issued, and 98 percent recovery has been achieved. Under this phase, Rs. 55 billion were allocated for interest-free agricultural loans, 85 percent of which were used for purchasing fertilizers. The Kissan Card is a flagship initiative of the Punjab government, and the number of cardholders needs to increase to ensure timely procurement of agricultural inputs. In the second phase, Rs. 100 billion were allocated, of which Rs. 84 billion have already been disbursed and Rs. 35 billion utilized by farmers. Through this phase, farmers can purchase diesel, fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides without processing charges.
The Minister further stated that under the Wheat Support Program, Rs. 12 billion have already been distributed among farmers. In August, applications for the second phase of the Green Tractor Program will be invited. Ten thousand locally manufactured 50-65 horsepower tractors will be given with a subsidy of Rs. 500,000, and another 10,000 tractors (75 HP and above, local/imported) will receive a Rs. 1 million subsidy.
Regarding Model Agriculture Malls, he informed that 98 percent of the construction work of four Agri.Malls has been completed. In the next phase, 10 more such malls will be established across Punjab. In the second phase of the Agriculture Graduates Internship Program, 2,000 additional graduates will be hired.
Under the Solarization of Agri Tube Wells program, revised letters have been issued to 7,988 selected farmers. Inspection of 7,670 sites is complete, and 652 tube wells have been installed. The process will conclude by September 2025.
The first and second phases of supplying Super Seeders under the Smog Control Program have been completed. A total of 5,000 Super Seeders will be distributed before the rice harvest in September this year, with rural areas near the motorway given priority for the remaining 2,000.
Under the Wheat Incentive Support Program, all 1,000 tractors are ready, 700 have already been delivered, and the remaining 300 will be delivered within two weeks.
The minister added that small farmers are being compensated Rs. 5,000 per acre under the Wheat Support Program.
In the fiscal year 2025–26, under the Hi-Tech Mechanization Financing Program, 11 types of new modern machinery will be provided to farmers on subsidy. Around 1,000 machines will be distributed, with Rs. 30 billion allocated for this purpose. Service providers/farmers will be offered interest-free loans of up to Rs. 50 million, repayable in five years.
New Chief Ministerial initiatives for 2025–26 will include the Program for Water-Efficient Agriculture, Transformation of Agriculture in Pothohar, and the Citrus Revival Task Force.
The meeting was also attended by Special Secretary Agriculture Agha Nabeel Akhtar, Director Generals Chaudhry Abdul Hameed, Naveed Asmat Kahloon, Engineer Sajid Hassan, Rana Tajammul, and other officials.
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